The Marlboro County Council and the City of Bennettsville recently provided updates on the redistricting process.

At their monthly meeting on Jan. 11, county council members approved the second reading of an ordinance adopting a redistricting plan for county council, redefining the eight single-member council districts reapportioned population according to the 2020 Census.

County Administrator Ron Munnerlyn requested a work session so the council could look at the maps and figure out what to do.

Then the state will run the numbers of the population split and demographics so the council can consider alternatives and have community meetings.

Munnerlyn added it needed to happen as soon as the council could schedule it.

During the citizen’s comment portion of the meeting, Marlboro Branch NAACP President Pearlie Lawson requested the county council provide more specific guidelines of the redistricting activity to ensure all Marlboro County citizens can meaningfully participate in the public redistricting process of 2022.

Lawson shared with the council an email sent by South Carolina Counts to Frank Rainwater, executive director of the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office and South Carolina Association of Counties, to urge county council to provide more specific guidance on redistricting activities.

Lawson is a part of the South Carolina Counts committee.

“The redistricting process must be done fairly, and it must be done with public input,” she said.

In the past, the public could view the maps appropriately and safely. Lawson felt the Economic Partnership Building was too small to have a community meeting.

She noted that ten years ago the redistricting process was not made public.

Lawson added she had attended council meetings in November and December with no mention of public meetings.

She pointed out that the second reading of the ordinance of the draft had been done, which concerned her.

Lawson referred to the email, which urged hearings before and after maps are released to the public, provide remote participation for all public hearings for those unable to attend in person, and widely advertise public hearings in advance.

“And you should hold a hearing that is convenient but not just in Bennettsville, but there are other towns,” she said. “Those citizens need to see those maps.”

Some questions she had for council included when public hearings would begin, how many will be held, and the times and location for the meetings.

“As a citizen, a voter, and president of the Marlboro Branch NAACP, I want to ensure the lines and the maps presented are racially equal and fair,” Lawson said. “And racial gerrymandering, packing, cracking does not exist. “

She encouraged all citizens in the county to participate in the process.

“Attend the meetings and be prepared,” Lawson said.

Bennettsville

At Tuesday’s Bennettsville City Council meeting, an update was given about redistricting.

Mayor Carolyn Prince said the state handles the redistricting for the city.

Holly Swann, manager for planning and zoning, said District 1 had 1,651 residents, which was a gain of 481 people over the other district.

For redistricting, the number needs to be 1,170.

The total population for the City of Bennettsville is 7,020 and does not include the prison population.

“We are not in a hurry because we don’t have an election coming up, so they have kind of put us on the backburner for now,” Swann said.

She added there would be many public hearings.